I'll Be Home for Foxmas
by Dancou-Maryuu
Summary: A change in her work schedule leaves Judy unable to visit Bunnyburrow for Christmas dinner, so Nick invites her to dinner at his mother's house. But a problem soon develops, and Judy and Nick wind up dealing with two families at once. (Part I of Zootopian Holiday Tails)


**Okay! I made this for the r/Zootopia Discord server. It was a rush job (I'll just say that a certain line said in this story was true on multiple levels). That said, I hope you enjoy it, and Happy Holidays!**

* * *

Judy slowly picked up her phone and fired up MuzzleTime. Best just to get it over with. Her mother picked up promptly enough.

"Hi, Mom!" Judy grinned.

"Hi, sweetheart," Bonnie Hopps seemed chipper, even with the constant hum of the kitchen seeming louder than usual – but that wasn't uncommon on the holidays.

"Uh, is Dad there?" said Judy.

"Oh, he's just supervising the tree-trimming. Wait'll you get here. It's _gorgeous!_ " Bonnie grinned.

Judy grimaced. "Uh, about that, Mom-"

"Is that Judy?" came a voice in the background, and Stu Hopps suddenly poked his head out of a doorway behind Bonnie.

"Hi, Dad!" said Judy. Just as well that both her parents hear what she had to say.

"Hey there, Jude-the-Dude!" Stu was always at his brightest at Christmastime. He briefly poked his head back in the doorway. "Junior! Could you take over?"

Stu then walked up to his wife so he could talk to Judy better. "So, are you still on for coming home tonight?"

Judy sighed. "About that…"

Bonnie caught on first. "Is something wrong?"

Judy briefly averted her eyes. "There's been an increase in pickpockets and other petty thefts lately. The Mayor wants it cleaned up, so he's putting a lot of pressure on Chief Bogo.

"Now the Chief's having to double up on patrols, so our Christmas vacation time's being cut down," Judy sighed. "I'll still have some free time on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day, but… not enough for a round-trip to Bunnyburrow."

Judy paused to let her words sink in, grimacing as her parents' expressions fell. "I'm sorry…"

"Oh, sweetie," said Bonnie. "There's no reason to apologize. It can't be helped, right?"

"I know…" Judy reached an arm to scratch her ear drooped on the back of her shoulder.

Stu eyed his feet, but then pushed himself into the picture. "You'll be free on Christmas Eve dinner, right?"

Judy tilted her head. "Yeah?"

"How 'bout this; you can MuzzleTime us when you have dinner." Stu gave a wry, bucktoothed smile. "Charlene can hook something up something on the big screen. It'll be the next best thing to you being there."

Judy gave a smile matching her father's. "Alright. Sounds like a plan."

* * *

Christmas Eve was becoming a slow affair. Sure, Judy and Nick caught the odd pickpocket or purse-snatcher, but it was all beginning to blow over.

But one odd encounter came when they turned off of Okavango Road. There, they found a hare, staggering down the middle of the road, a bottle in his hand. He wouldn't listen to Nick telling him to get off the road, but hearing Judy seemed to have a better effect on him.

"Oh!" the hare wheezed, his muzzle contorting into a wry smile. "Another city bun!"

Judy didn't have Nick's nose, but she still recoiled from the smell of alcohol. "Sir, could you just-"

"You got family in the barr- burr- Burrows?" said the hare, slowly walking toward Judy.

Judy took a step back, noticing Nick was reaching for his pepper spray. "Uh, sir-"

"Betcha wish you were home with them, huh?" the hare suddenly began staring at the sky. "Bastards wouldn't give me time off…"

Suddenly, the hare toppled backwards, and was soon lying on the ground, snoring loudly.

Nick and Judy stared at each other for a bit before Nick gingerly picked up the inebriated hare, and sat him in the back of their cruiser. After a few tries, Nick managed to wake the hare, confirming who he was (Daniel Harriman of 115 Pawndale Crescent), giving him a breathalyzer (which he failed), and informing him that he was under arrest for drunk and disorderly conduct, and endangering motorists, while Judy looked on. Nick had to pat the hare a few times on the cheek so that the hare didn't fall asleep while Nick read him his rights.

This done, Nick buckled the now-slumbering Daniel Harriman into the back seat, and joined Judy in the front of the cruiser. Nick soon noticed Judy was staring into space behind the wheel.

"You okay, Carrots?" he said.

"Oh, I'm fine," said Judy, finally starting the engine.

"Don't worry," said Nick. "Once we get back, we'll stick this guy in the tank and he won't be able to get at you."

"Oh no!" said Judy as she pulled away from the curb. "That's not it. In fact, I kinda feel for him."

"Oh?"

Judy told Nick about her scuppered holiday plans.

"Bosses, huh?" Nick looked over his shoulder to see that Daniel Harriman had stirred. "Lyin' pieces of…" Harriman began snoring again.

"But enough about me," said Judy, electing to take a page from Nick's playbook and not let him see that things got to her. "You got any plans?"

"Oh, I, uh…" Nick averted his eyes. "I was going to, uh… I was going to have dinner with my Mom."

"Oh…" Judy averted her eyes. Nick had only recently begun reconnecting with his mother after years of estrangement.

"I… Uh…" Nick broke off, glancing out his window.

Daniel Harriman woke up again. "I mean, I wish mammals would say what they mean and mean what they say… Y'know what I mean?"

More snores from the back.

Judy almost didn't hear Nick say, "You could come if you want."

"What?!" Judy suddenly burst out. "No! I mean- Not that I wouldn't like to! It's just that- This is a big deal for you! I wouldn't want to impose on you."

"Oh, you wouldn't be imposing," said Nick. "Mom's been saying she wouldn't mind having guests over."

"Oh…" Judy's ears drooped. "If you're sure she wouldn't mind…"

"I'll call her to be sure, but I think she'd love having more-"

"IIIIIIIII'LLLL BE HOOOMMME FOR CHRISTMASSSSSSSSSSSSS! YOUUUUU CAN COUNNNNT ON MEEEEEEEEE-"

"We're almost there, Mr. Harriman!" Judy snapped at the off-key hare.

" _In vino veritas_ …" Nick muttered darkly.

"What?" said Judy.

"Nothing."

* * *

Judy noticed that Christmas decorations were few and far-between in Lower Happytown. She figured it was best not to ask Nick why.

Still, she noticed a few indications of the season – a few lights here and there, or some paper snowflakes in the window. Nick's mother's house had both.

Judy's ears soon picked up Nick taking a deep breath in as he knocked on the door.

Eventually, the door opened to reveal a lithe, older vixen. Looking at her and Nick, Judy could see the similarities between mother and son. While Mrs. Wilde's tail was white-tipped instead of brown, and the fur on her paws more lightly colored than Nick's, she shared Nick's green eyes and lanky build – which made them both look a bit younger than they really were.

"Hi, Mom!" said Nick as he and his mother shared a hug.

"Hello, Nicky," said Mrs. Wilde, squeezing her son tightly.

Judy smiled at the two foxes embracing, but her smile became an awkward grin as Mrs. Wilde released her hold and regarded Judy.

"Glad you could make it, Officer Hopps," Mrs. Wilde nodded, giving a smirk of the sort that Nick often gave. Learning that Mrs. Wilde gave that smirk as well had prompted Judy to stop calling it the "Nick Look" and start calling it the "Reynardine Look" – after Mrs. Wilde's maiden name.

"Sorry for butting in on you and Nick," said Judy.

"Oh, there's no need to worry about that," chuckled Mrs. Wilde. "I don't get much company these days, and I always make too much food this time of year. Speaking of which, I made sure there's a vegetarian option on the menu, so you needn't worry."

"Thanks!" Judy had never tasted Mrs. Wilde's cooking.

As they came in, Judy's eyes briefly caught the picture of eight-year-old Nick saluting in a Junior Ranger Scouts uniform. It was hard not to smile at how adorable little Nick looked at that age.

"Dinner's cooking right now," said Mrs. Wilde as she ducked into the kitchen. "You can sit anywhere."

Judy eyed the older furnishings before sitting herself on a couch facing the window, watching mammals walking the streets before noticing Nick had his back to the fireplace, hands vibrating behind his back.

Judy had been working hard to get rid of her suspicion of foxes, but Nick had been teaching her some of the basics of what constituted suspicious behavior, and the way his eyes were locked onto the window without seeming to perceive anything caused Judy to raise an eyebrow.

"Something wrong, Nick?" said Judy.

"Some wolves are just shameless…" Nick tilted his head to the window.

Judy got up from the couch. "'Always look out for misdirection.' Your words, Nick."

Before Nick could reply, Judy reached behind Nick's back, and wrested from his paws a white wool knit bag with the word "Nick" knitted into it in green. It obviously had some objects inside.

Judy was about to peek inside it, but Nick quickly grabbed it and held it shut. "Don't look! I don't want to- gah!" Nick buried his head in his hands.

Judy tilted her head and her mouth dropped open.

"What's wrong?" Mrs. Wilde poked her head out of the kitchen. The Reynardine Look crossed her face again. "Oh! I'd forgotten about that!"

"What is it?" said Judy.

"It's a snow-bag," sighed Nick, hanging the bag from a bent nail stuck stuck in the bottom of the mantelpiece. "You put Christmas gifts in it. It's a fox thing."

"Oh!" Judy was curious now.

Mrs. Wilde chuckled. "I know you're a big tod now, Nicky, but I just couldn't resist."

Nick glared at her mother. "I'd rather she not see it."

"Why not? It's not _that_ embarrassing, is it?"

Nick sighed. "Mom, think about it for a second."

Mrs. Wilde stared for a moment, then covered her muzzle. " _Oh_! Oh no! I am _so_ sorry, Judy!"

"Sorry for what?" said Judy.

Nick and his mother exchanged uneasy glances before Nick began explaining. "Snow-bags represent 'goodies' pre-Evolution foxes found under the snow."

"So?" said Judy.

"Carrots…" Nick shifted uneasily. "What sort of 'goodies' do you think foxes were hunting for back then?"

Judy's ears drooped, and she stared at the bag.

"Yeah…" said Nick, scratching behind his ears.

"I-I can't apologize enough!" said Mrs. Wilde. "I didn't think-"

"It's okay, Mrs. Wilde!" said Judy, raising her hands. "I shouldn't complain. Over in Bunnyburrow, my Pop-Pop-"

Judy froze. Bunnyburrow…

"Oh my _god_!" Judy moaned.

Mrs. Wilde gulped, and frantically made her way to the fireplace. "I didn't think it'd be that big a deal. I'll take it down _right_ now-"

"No, no, Mrs. Wilde! That's not it!" said Judy. "I just remembered, I promised my parents I'd MuzzleTime with them when I had my dinner!"

Judy quickly fished out her phone. "I'd better call them right now and-"

Just then, the phone began to ring. Judy stared at the "Mom and Dad" on the MuzzleTime ringer screen.

Judy glanced toward the two foxes, who alternated between staring at her and at each other.

Judy took a deep breath in, and pressed 'Accept.'

Behind the phone, Nick and his mother saw Judy's face contort into a pained parody of a smile as a cascade of voices chorused, "MERRY CHRISTMAS, JUDY!"

"Hi, you guys! Merry Christmas!" Judy's buckteeth began to clench. "You… actually _did_ hook it up to the big screen!"

"Everyone wanted to know how you were doing, sweetie!" said Bonnie, smiling as Judy's phone showed the view pointing down across the spacious dining hall of the Hopps family farmhouse, with Bonnie, Stu, and some of the older siblings waving from the center table.

"That's… great!" said Judy, eye twitching.

"You eating alright?" said Bonnie. "What're you having?"

"Zucchini herb casserole," Mrs. Wilde blurted before covering her mouth as Nick buried his head in his hands.

"Who was that, sweetie?" said Stu, craning his neck as if he expected that would change the view of Judy's camera. "Where _are_ you?"

Judy sighed. "It's my fault, Dad. I forgot about our call and I told Nick I was missing out on having dinner with you guys. He was kind enough to let me have dinner at his mom's place."

Judy angled the phone toward the fireplace, where the Wildes smiled at the camera. Mrs. Wilde made sure to place her back to the fireplace and grab the snow-bag behind her.

Silence fell in the Hopps family dining room – no mean feat, given the number of bunnies in it.

"Oh…" said Bonnie.

Violet Hopps, Judy's older sister, spoke up from the center table. "Uh… zucchini herb casserole?"

"Uh, yes!" said Mrs. Wilde, holding the snow-bag behind her as she edged her way back to the kitchen. " _Speaking-of-which-I-don't-want-it-to-burn-excuse-me!_ "

Now it was just Nick and Judy… and over three hundred Hoppses on the other end.

Judy relaxed a little as she saw Pop-Pop politely excuse himself in the background. That was _one_ headache out of the way…

"Well, that's ironic, I guess," Stu chuckled, but still with a nervous edge to his voice. "I mean, there _you_ are in a fox's house, while we've got a fox over here in _ours_."

"Oh!" Judy's ears perked.

"Down here!" a padded hand-paw poked from the lower right corner, and the red-tufted head of Gideon Grey edged into view. "Howdy, Judy!"

"Gideon, hi!" Judy relaxed a little more. Hopefully Gideon's presence had softened the blow.

"So I have _you_ to blame for that pie Carrots brought to the ZPD a while ago!" Nick chimed. "Hey, Mom! You've got competition in the pie department!"

"Oh, we'll see about that!" laughed Mrs. Wilde from the kitchen. "Wait'll you see what I've got lined up for dessert!"

Judy wasn't sure if she should mention the fact that Gideon's pies had won contests in the Tri-Burrows. Then again, she hadn't sampled Mrs. Wilde's cooking.

Nick gestured for Judy to give him the phone. Judy complied. She'd seen Nick's ability to work conversations to his advantage. Still, had he ever done it with this many mammals at once?

"I was just asking Judy," said Nick. "How do you celebrate Christmas out in the burrows?"

"Oh, I was just about to tell Nick about the roots," said Judy, edging her way into the picture.

"Roots?" said Nick.

"Oh yeah!" Stu gestured to the pot of soup in front of him. Every year on the summer solstice, we plant a new shrub, then five years later, on the winter solstice, we dig up the roots, and have them for Christmas dinner."

"It's a reference to cold winters eating roots in our burrows, pre-Evolution," said Judy.

"Huh… I can imagine you bunnies as the hardy type…" said Nick.

"Dinner's ready!" came Mrs. Wilde's voice, and Judy and Nick took the phone into the dining room.

The arrangement did look scrumptious. Judy made sure to give the camera a good glimpse of it.

"What's that?" said Stuart Hopps Jr, pointing at the camera. "That white thing with 'Nick' on it?"

Three pairs of ears sank as they realized that Mrs. Wilde had laid the snow-bag on a sideboard by the table.

"Oh, that there's a snow-bag!" Gideon Grey, you _fool_! "It's- uh…" Now a fourth pair of ears lowered.

Thankfully Gideon continued, grinning uneasily, "It uh… represents the warmth of a fox's burrow in the cold snow!"

Nick nodded – whether in feigned agreement, or in approval of the subterfuge, Judy couldn't tell.

"That's interesting…" said Violet. "Didn't think you'd do the same out here as in the city."

"Yeah. I didn't see that coming, either," said Mrs. Wilde, cutting the casserole. Judy sensed she was genuinely surprised.

"I don't think we've ever met, Mrs. Wilde," said Bonnie.

"No, I can't say I have," said Mrs. Wilde, having just finished dishing up, as Judy leaned the phone against a napkin holder, giving it a view of the whole table (with the snow-bag out of view).

"Well, since you're the guest of honor, or the host depending on how you look at it," chuckled Stu. "How about a Christmas toast?"

"A-a toast?" Mrs. Wilde got up, picking up a glass of fizzy water, as an army of bunnies raised their glasses. "Christmas toast… Well, uh… Here's to…"

Suddenly, the phone's screen winked out, replaced by the words "LOW BATTERY."

"Oh, sweet cheese and crackers…" Judy's head slammed into the table.

Mrs. Wilde collapsed into her chair, still raising her glass. "Here's to quick and easy resolutions!"

"I'd better call them back and tell them everything's alright," said Judy. "Can I use your landline?"

"Go ahead," said Mrs. Wilde, taking a sip and giving Judy a Reynardine Look. "Pity, really. I'd have loved to meet your family, Officer – with a bit more preparation, of course."

"Of course," sighed Judy. "I'll let them know you said that. I can't apologize enough."

"Honestly, it's not our most chaotic Christmas dinner," Mrs. Wilde chuckled to Nick. "Remember when you decided to try caroling?"

Judy smiled as she dialed her parents, listening to the Wildes reminisce about Christmases past.


End file.
